


Stairs

by IreneADonovan



Series: Random Scenes [3]
Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Ableism, Angry Erik, Canon Disabled Character, Charles in a Wheelchair, Erik is not a Happy Bunny, Gen, M/M, Protective Erik, Trouble at School
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 12:48:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12366120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IreneADonovan/pseuds/IreneADonovan
Summary: Lorna gets into trouble at school...





	Stairs

**Author's Note:**

> This was loosely inspired by a tumblr post that I now can't find...

“Mr. Lehnsherr, this is Ms. Olsson, the principal at your daughter's school. I need to have a word with you when you come to pick Lorna up today. She caused quite a disruption.”

Those words had been haunting Erik for the last hour-plus. It wasn't like Lorna to cause trouble, not even the kinds most eight-year-olds found. Not even when the other kids had teased her about her green hair. Okay, so she'd lifted the offenders up by their zippers. But she hadn't hurt them, and she'd made her point. No one had teased her since.

Erik hadn't met this principal. She was new this year, and it was barely October. So he could only hope this wasn't a case of anti-mutant bias. If it was, the school-board members would be getting some calls. Again.

Charles accused him of seeing bias everywhere, and he wasn't wholly wrong. Erik was a mutant rights lawyer -- a damned good one -- and it made him keenly sensitive to people's biases, even ones they didn't realize they held.

But he was getting ahead of himself. He had no proof of any sort of discrimination. Yet.

Lorna was sitting on the padded bench outside the school office, a familiar mulish scowl on her face. Not a good sign. She never wore that expression when she was feeling guilty, only when she was righteously indignant.

Erik paused in front of her and kissed the top of her head. “I'll take you home in a few minutes. Ms. Olsson wants to see me first.”

Lorna's expression clearly said “sic 'em.”

The secretary waved him back.

Ms. Olsson was ready for him, hands folded primly on her desk. “Mr. Lehnsherr.”

Erik nodded warily.

“We had a bit of a situation earlier. The teacher substituting for Mrs. Libby feels your daughter was quite disrespectful, and I must agree.” She nodded for him to take a seat.

Erik stayed standing, crossing his arms and cocking a brow. Ms. Olsson shifted uneasily. So she didn't like being challenged. Good.

“The teacher was talking about the value of hard work and perseverance, and she put up a poster that said, 'There is no elevator to success. You must take the stairs.'”

Erik wanted to flash the woman his most predatory smile. He knew now why Lorna had been upset, and he didn't blame her one bit. But he put on his best poker face and waited.

“Lorna stood up without being called on and said, 'What about my daddy? He can't use the stairs.'” Ms. Olsson's gaze raked over Erik. “It would seem I need to add lying to the back-talk.”

Now Erik did smile, and the woman visibly paled. “No, Ms. Olsson, you do not. Lorna is quite correct. My husband, Charles Xavier, uses a wheelchair. And I guarantee you he'll be at least twice as offended by that poster as I am.” Probably a slight exaggeration. But only slight.

If Ms. Olsson had been pale before, now she was positively ashen. Clearly she hadn't realized the Xavier in Lorna Xavier-Lehnsherr was the same Xavier that owned the estate on Greymalkin Lane and contributed generously to the local school system. “Clearly owe you an apology “ She looked like she wanted to choke on the words.

Erik shook his head. “Not to me. To Lorna.”

Ms. Olsson swallowed, then nodded.

“And that particular substitute is never to go near my daughter's class again. After she apologizes to Lorna. In front of the class.”

Ms. Olsson followed him out and apologized to Lorna while he watched.

Once they were outside, he swung Lorna up onto his shoulders. “You made your papa proud today.”

“That teacher, she talked mean about daddy. And she wouldn't listen when I told her some people can't take the stairs.”

“Somehow I think she'll wish she'd listened.” Thiugh he knew it was more likely she'd just resent Lorna and himself for daring to call her on her shit.

Erik sighed inwardly. Charles was right -- he was entirely too cynical. Fortunately, Charles was enough if an optimist for both of them.

“Come on,” he said to Lorna. “Let's go get some ice cream.”


End file.
